I started growing orchids over 10 years ago as a continuing interest in growing unusual houseplants. My mother tried one without success, and later my stepmother tried growing one of those hybrids found in garden centers, but also without luck. We always had a plant encyclopedia around, and I would read the information they provided about how to cultivate different species of orchids with great interest. I finally bought myself a cattleya hybrid and later a phalaenopsis from nearby garden centers, and the rest is history. I grew my plants on windowsills, and later made a lightstand from old store shelving and fluorescent lights. I had success for awhile, but then I bought some plants that had mealybugs and they went to town on some of my plants. I didn't know how to deal with them, so many of them died. I also acquired some plants that had disease, and I didn't know how to deal with them, either at the time, so a fair number also perished. One of the main culprits involved in the demise of many of my orchids in the past was 'summertime'! I worked at a golf course, and after work I would play golf, eat dinner, go home and go to bed. Plants often were not watered properly and would dry out. Often plants outside would get rot because the heavy dew would collect in the early morning and allow disease to move in to my collection. Then at the end of the summer, ants, scale and other critters would hitch a ride inside the house, and would multiply beyond my ability to control them. Interestingly, my second orchid that I bought was one of the most successful and prolific. I gave it to my stepmother because the leaves were getting too large for my lightstand. It prospered for her and rewards her regularly with long lasting blooms! I now grow many phalaenopsis species in a light stand that has bottom heating and a humidifier, and other phals and assorted orchids in my kitchen window, plants that like it cooler. I found that many of the phal species need temperatures that are far higher than what I could normally provide in an apartment. I was a member of the Southern Tier (Binghamton, NY) Orchid Society when I lived in that area, and after moving further north joined the Central New York Orchid Society. I am an avid orchid photographer and have pictures of people's plants as well as native orchids on the website of the CNYOS. I have also been a member of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance (IPA) for a few years, and am a subscriber to the Orchid Guide Digest on the Internet. For information about any of these subjects, just drop me a line.